Roman Sword

Jesus foretold that the inhabitants of Jerusalem and Judea would “fall by the edge of the sword.” (Lu 21:24) The 2,000-year-old sword shown in the photograph likely belonged to a soldier serving in the Roman infantry that was stationed in Jerusalem in 66 C.E. when the revolt against the Romans erupted. The sword is about 60 cm (24 in.) long, and the remains of its leather scabbard, or sheath, are still attached. This sword was recently found (reported in 2011) when archaeologists were excavating a drainage channel between the City of David and the archaeological garden near the Western Wall in Jerusalem. This channel evidently served as a hiding place for residents of Jerusalem during the turbulent time preceding Jerusalem’s destruction in 70 C.E.